Developing Ecotourism Net in Black Sea region

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The overall objective of ECOTOUR-NET is to contribute the development & diversification of eco-tourism activities taking care of natural and cultural resources “protection & use” balance, to improve the welfare of the people in the Black Sea Basin. Eco tourism, which provides significant contributions in terms of income and employment in the Black Sea Region, aimed to be developed in direct proportion to the high potential of the Region. İn order to increase the average overnights of foreigners in the region which is below the international average, it is necessary to diversify tourism products and services and to extend the tourism activities all over the year. Within this scope, it is aimed to diversify the activities currently limited to specific routes and themes for foreign visitors, in line with the natural and cultural potentials of the region. A variety of eco tourism activity routes and locations will be created to increase the number of tourism revenues and visitors. So as to develop eco tourism activities in 5 regions, 18 routes and 48 locations will be created. After the small scale investmens there will be 10 cycling, 6 hiking, 2 educational tour routes and 4 bird watching, 32 recreational, 10 photobank and 2 local products selling locations ready for performing activities. A web portal (6 multi languages supported), a mobile application (İOS/Android), 10.000 outdoor guides and 15.000 hand maps, 100 minutes promotional film and 5 virals will be prepared and will play an important role in promoting and introducing the eco tourism in the region. Especially in planning their visits and obtaining information during all excursions, booking and having a healthy and an efficient visit and ensuring the security for the people who are out of the region and interested in eco tourism. 50 touristic facility personnel, 25 local guides and 50 rural women (totally 125 people) will be trained to improve their sectoral knowledge and skill capacity. Project partners will participate as co-organizers of traditional festivals in 4 regions. The products of 10 local producers from 5 regions will be exhibited. 1 International tour operations Workshop will be organized in GR with the objective of preparing and selling individual and integrated tour packages from the created routes and locations. At least 5 tour packages will be prepared for marketing by the operators. Local enterprises and rural population will generate income by the development of eco-tourism activities and that will provide a broad mass of local supporters for the project. With this role, local population and enterprises will be more effective actors with solutions to regional problems, sharing ICT tools, and having the ability to intervene actively in the region';s economy and ecology. This strategic transformation will build the baseline of sustainable tourism in the region.

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